textproduct: Amarillo

KEY MESSAGES

Issued at 1223 PM CST Fri Jan 9 2026

- Snow with gusty winds will continue across the northern combined Panhandles through the remainder of this afternoon and a portion of this evening, resulting in reduced visibility and hazardous traveling conditions due to blowing snow.

- Very cold temperatures are expected tonight, particularly across the northern combined Panhandles where wind chills could dip into the negative single digits.

SHORT TERM

(This evening through Saturday night) Issued at 1223 PM CST Fri Jan 9 2026

Water vapor satellite imagery shows an upper-level trough over far northeastern New Mexico, soon to move into the OK/TX Panhandles as a cold front has moved through the Oklahoma Panhandle and is moving into the northwestern Texas Panhandle now. Meanwhile, we're seeing an area of snow move through the north-central/northeastern Texas Panhandle and Oklahoma Panhandle which is mostly associated with PVA, and a broad area of snow in SW Kansas/SE Colorado. A dry slot has moved into the northern Texas Panhandle which is causing a brief pause in the snowfall. Snow is now beginning to develop in the northeastern New Mexico and the northwestern Texas Panhandle/western Oklahoma Panhandle owing to increased surface convergence and renewed PVA. This activity will track east-northeast through the day as it tracks with the system. Forecast snow totals are largely on track, though there is increasing uncertainty regarding whether Dallam and Sherman counties will end up seeing more than 4 inches of snow from this second round of snow; most CAMs have been keeping the bulk of the significant snowfall from this round in the Oklahoma Panhandle.

A few CAMs have periodically shown a post-frontal isolated cell or two developing along the I-40 corridor around or west of Amarillo. Given that the temps would be cooling off from the highs in the 40s today, it would most likely begin as rain but could change to snow as CAA and wet bulbing occurs. Little to no snow accumulation is currently expected, especially given the warm surface temperatures from the anomalously warm pattern we've been experiencing for most of the last month.

The weather system will move off to the east-northeast through tonight with snow coming to an end by the end of this evening. Expecting some very cold temperatures tonight given radiational cooling and fresh snowpack, especially across the Oklahoma Panhandle and the northwestern Texas Panhandle. Lows will be in the high single digits to low teens in the area with wind chills as low as the negative single digits.

Temperatures will rebound into the 40s in the northern combined Panhandles on Saturday with mid-40s to low-50s expected elsewhere in the area.

Vanden Bosch

LONG TERM

(Sunday through next Thursday) Issued at 1223 PM CST Fri Jan 9 2026

Much of the long-term period will likely be characterized by a ridge over the Western US and a trough over the Great Lakes/Eastern US. Expecting temperatures to warm into the 50s and 60s through at least Wednesday with very little to no chance for precipitation. A more potent shortwave trough is favored to move in from Canada and dig into the Midwest on Wednesday, and a cold front will follow. At this time, operational and ensemble forecast models are not showing much in the way of a significantly cold airmass making it to the Panhandles with this system.

Vanden Bosch

AVIATION

(18Z TAFS) Issued at 1106 AM CST Fri Jan 9 2026

IFR to LIFR conditions are ongoing at all terminals, as well as ongoing snow at Guymon and soon to start at Dalhart. A cold front is moving through the northern Panhandles; expect winds to become northerly at 20-25 kts with gusts between 30-35 kts at Dalhart and Amarillo, slightly weaker at Guymon. These winds could cause blowing snow leading to reduced visibility, especially during periods of heavier snowfall. Will have to watch for a pocket of rain/snow mix for Amarillo this afternoon, but confidence in occurrence is very low at this time. Snow across the area will come to an end tonight, and VFR conditions will return to all terminals later tonight.

AMA WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES

TX...Winter Weather Advisory until midnight CST tonight for TXZ001>004-006>008-011.

OK...Winter Storm Warning until midnight CST tonight for OKZ001-002.

Winter Weather Advisory until midnight CST tonight for OKZ003.